When it comes to choosing the right software for your 3D Printing needs, there are several factors that you need to consider. Here are some important points that will help you choose the ideal 3D printing software.

What’s Your Experience Level?

This is in light of the fact that some software applications are developed specifically for professionals and some are for novices. As such, you can choose a beginners’ 3D printing software if you simply want to do casual projects. These software are normally simple to use and don’t require a lot of background knowledge.

Likewise, if you are still learning, then your ideal choice should be the intermediate level 3D printing software. It is also worth noting that the Professional 3D printing software applications are largely for experts who use them for their professional work.

What’s Your Purpose?

You probably know that 3D printing and modeling software applications can be used for a vast range of purposes. Namely, some applications are used for drawing and modeling in the field of engineering. As such, if you are more inclined to the engineering elements of your 3D model, then that could be your perfect choice.

There exist another type of 3D printing software applications, which are used for creating animations, artistic models, and video games. This should be your ideal choice if you have interests in the graphics and movie industry.

What’s Your Budget?

When it comes to the cost of acquisition, 3D printing software applications range from zero to over 5000 U.S Dollars. As such, if you’re interested in learning only the basics, you can go for free software. Conversely, if you’re going for paid 3D printing software, it is imperative that you do good research to ensure that you get the best for your budget. However, you should not forget that we always get what we pay for.

Is There Sufficient Support?

Most 3D printing software applications have forums and platforms where users share feedback and help one another out. You can get instructional videos and step-by-step solutions in case you encounter problems. It is advisable to choose software that has the highest community presence.

Is The Software Compatible With Your Preferred Devices?

While some 3D printing software applications are specifically built for desktops, some can run on Android and iPhone operating systems. Likewise, software can differ depending on the operating system running on your computer. Therefore, you should ensure that your preferred 3D printing software is compatible with your preferred operating system or device.

Choosing 3D printing software can be very challenging given that the technology is still developing. However, this does mean that you can’t get software that fits your needs. You just need to do your research well. Once you have determined your purpose, budget, and preferred device, and you know your experience level, you can then go for 3D software that meets your needs best. You can also contact software design and consulting companies such as WITHIN – they can help you get something that meets your expectations.

Since its inception in the 1980s, additive manufacturing has greatly transformed the word of manufacturing. Here is a look at some of the business benefits of additive manufacturing, which highlight how the technology is changing how we do business.

Time to Market

Additive manufacturing has allowed faster development of ideas. Namely, you can design and 3D print a concept in a single day. This significantly reduces the time needed for a development process, thereby enabling a company to be a step ahead of its competitors.

Building Complex Components

Additive manufacturing presents great opportunity in terms of the ability to craft complex shapes on a computer and then printing them. With this technology, you can even scan complex natural structures and print them. The technology allows you to create illogical shapes that are largely impossible to create through machining or molding.

Avoiding Mass-production

For many years, additive manufacturing has been used to instantly generate prototypes, without the need to frequently order factory-built models. Today, additive manufacturing technology is so advanced that it can be used to make finished products. This way, you don’t have to mass-produce a product, which makes it a cost-efficient venture.

Greener Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing also has environmental benefits. To begin with, whereas additive manufacturing depends on electricity, a fairly small amount is needed for the production of parts. Likewise, there’s little waste in light of the fact that only the necessary material are utilized and the plastics can be recycled.

Moreover, in the case of 3D faxing, there’s considerably less trucking of parts. This technology also plays an integral role in the light-weighting of aircraft and vehicles, which is essential for reducing dangerous fuel emissions.

Actually, parts made using additive manufacturing technology allow manufacturing engineers to create solid components with a semi-hollow honeycomb interior. The components have as much strength to weight ratio as solid parts, but they are up to 65% lighter when compared to conventional, subtractive manufacturing techniques, which significantly affects the final product’s fuel costs.

Ability to Personalize

In the case of the usual mass-production, everything comes out of the production line the same. Conversely, in the case of additive manufacturing, you can modify a part to fit specific needs. This allows for personalized fits in the dental and medical fields. Likewise, it allows for setting people apart in the world of jewelry and fashion.

Fail Fast, but Cheap

Additive manufacturing allows you to test concepts quickly. As such, you can quickly discover what cannot work, promoting the creation of ideal solutions. This technology enables products developers to make breakthroughs at the initial stages, which are quite cheap and result in better products and inexpensive dead-ends.

Conclusion

These are some of the business benefits of additive engineering and as the technology advances, with more industries embracing the technology, more benefits will reveal themselves. Leading Software development companies, like WITHIN, are best known for their cutting-edge additive manufacturing applications.

The medical technology industry has been at the forefront among the users of additive manufacturing. This is largely attributed to the fact that Additive Manufacturing capabilities align well with the industry’s medical device segment.

The most significant benefit that Additive Manufacturing delivers to the medical technology industry is the freedom to create customized medical products. For instance, the use of additive manufacturing to custom-make implants and prosthetics can deliver great value to both the patient and the physician.

Likewise, the technology can be used to generate custom fixtures and jigs for use in the surgery rooms. Namely, custom fixtures, implants, and surgical equipment can be highly beneficial in terms of time needed for a surgical procedure, patient recovery time, as well as the success of the operation.

It’s also expected that additive manufacturing will, in the near future, allow for customization of drug dosage and dispensing for each patient.

Improved Cost Effectiveness

Another great advantage offered by additive manufacturing is the ability to produce medical products cheaply. Whereas subtractive manufacturing techniques remain cost-efficient for large-scale productions, the cost of additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly competitive for small-scale productions. This largely applies to small-sized standard prosthetics or implants, like the ones used for dental, craniofacial, or spinal complications.

The cost of custom-making an object through additive manufacturing is low, with the first object being as less expensive as the last. This greatly benefits companies with low production volumes or those that make products that need to be modified frequently. This technology can also lower manufacturing costs by minimizing the utilization of resources that aren’t really necessary.

Improved Efficiency

To begin with, you should know that “Fast” in additive manufacturing means that an object can be created in a couple of hours. That makes this technology quite faster when compared to the traditional techniques of manufacturing medical products. The traditional manufacturing techniques usually involve milling, forging, as well as a considerably long delivery time.

Besides the speed, there are several other aspects of additive manufacturing that are improving. They include:

Precision

The resolution

Dependability

Repeatability of the technology

Democratization and Association

Another benefit of additive manufacturing that can’t go unmentioned is the democratization of the design as well as manufacturing of products. A wide selection of materials is becoming available for use in additive manufacturing. Moreover, the cost of these materials is becoming increasingly less expensive. Consequently, individuals, including those in the medical industry, are able to utilize more than a 3D printing machine and their creativity to design and create innovative items for both commercial and personal purposes.

Likewise, the nature of additive manufacturing data files provides a great opportunity for sharing between professionals. Instead of trying to generate parameters that are spelled out in scientific write-ups, you can easily access downloadable .stl files, which are normally found in open-source databases. Then, with the help of a 3D printing machine, you can produce an exact model of a medical product, and this allows for accurate sharing of designs.

To promote the sharing of additive manufacturing data files for medical-related designs, custom laboratory equipment, as well as models of protein, bacteria, and viruses, on open-source platforms, the National Institutes of Health started the 3D Print Exchange in 2014.

Final Thoughts

Medical technology is a division of health technology, which encompasses products that diagnose, monitor, and treat human ailments. Additive manufacturing has made substantial contributions in this field, thanks to the strong alignment of its capabilities with needs of the medical technology device segment. WITHIN is among the leading companies in the development of additive manufacturing applications for the medical industry.

3D Printing technology has been in existence since the 1980s in various forms. However, as the technology advances, the application of 3D printing is increasing far beyond rapid prototyping. According to industry experts and trendsetters in the world of 3D printing, we should expect these 3D Printing trends to significantly contribute to the growth of the industry:

Advanced 3D Printers

In the coming years, 3D printing machines will become more powerful, with increased speeds and better printing capabilities. In fact, there are some advanced 3D printing machines available on the market already, some of which can print very fine details (50 microns) at a commendable speed.

New 3D Printing Materials

You should expect new 3D printing materials to emerge. While we already have metal 3D Printing such as gold, steel, and titanium, there’s a possibility that we will witness more development in the use of organic materials for printing organs and skin. Another fascinating development to watch is Multi-material 3D printing.

Easier 3D Modelling

3D modelling is still a major stumbling block for most people. You should expect this to change in the near future. Currently, a good number of 3D modelling programs just pay no attention to the 3D printing community.

Most of the programs are designed for graphic designers and animators. As such, it can be very difficult to make these models printable. Fortunately, an increasing number of easy-to-use apps and plugins are being built. This is attributed to the fact that many 3D designers are now creating models with 3D printing in mind. In fact, leading companies like Windows are also investing in the development of 3D printing design solutions.

Premium Quality Finishing

As the constrictions of desktop 3D printing machines are becoming more obvious, more attention is being paid to the object’s finish quality. In that light, you should expect a rise in the demand for sophisticated finishing and complex colours.

In the past, enhancing the finishing of a 3D print to a desirable level was not only time consuming, but also challenging. However, with continued advancements in terms of accuracy, speed, and applications, the attention is likely to shift to the ability of 3D printing companies to deliver quality finishing.

More Industries Embrace 3D printing

With the increasing viability of 3D Printing technology, more industries are recognizing the significance of the technology. For instance, the fashion industry is making use of 3D Printing to test and increase the possibilities in the modern world of design.

Nonetheless, it should not be forgotten that it’s the medical device industry that has consistently grown in leaps and bounds in regard to 3 printing technology. In fact, in the coming years, we should expect to see development and increased use of:

3D printed invisible braces

3D printed dentures

Scanning technology for dentures

Conclusion

It will take some time for 3D technology to reach its maximum potential as there is still a lot to be discovered and developed. We expect to see more powerful and fascinating applications in the world of 3D printing. You can learn more about 3D Printing applications at WITHIN.